1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioning system which employs an absorption type cool/warm water unit, and more particularly, to a multiple type absorption air conditioning system which can be readily switched over from the cooling operation to the heating operation, and reversely in accordance with individual air conditioning requirement.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 60263058 discloses the absorption type cool/warm water unit which can be switched over from the cooling operation to the heating operation, and reversely. A conventional air conditioning system employing such an absorption type cool/warm water unit has a disadvantage in that it requires separate operations of the air conditioners installed in individual rooms in a building and the absorption type cool/warm water unit, which is an outdoor unit. Further the air conditioners and the absorption type cool/warm water unit must be switched on respectively when an air conditioning is desired. Consequently, even when a user in one of the rooms desire an air conditioning and switches on the air conditioner in that room, the room cannot be air conditioned unless the absorption type cool/warm water unit is switched on. Another drawback of the aforementioned conventional air conditioning system is that the air conditioner and the absorption type unit must be operated along the predetermined operation procedures in order to eliminate troubles, such as crystallization of a solution. That is, when the absorption type cool/warm air unit is to be activated for cooling, starting-up of the cooling operation must be postponed until a difference in the concentrations of the solutions is generated. Also, when the absorption type cool/warm air unit is to be stopped, stoppage of the operation thereof must be postponed until the concentrated solution is diluted in order to prevent the solution from being crystallized due to cooling by natural heat radiation. If the cool/warm water unit is activated or stopped in a state in which no heat load is applied thereto from an air conditioner or a fan coil unit, the solution crystallization or disability of the diluting operation may occur, hence, regardless of the request of a load, part or all of the air conditioners or fan coil units must be operated to circulate the cool/warm water before the absorption type cool/warm water unit is operated. However, this operation is so complicated that the ordinary user cannot do that. Furthermore, switch over of the cooling and the heating operations requires switching over of the operations of the absorption type cool/warm water unit. That is, switch over of the cooling/heating operations requires switching over of the refrigerant cycle and draining of a cooling water from an absorber and a heat exchanger of a condenser, which cannot be done by the ordinary user as well. Furthermore, since part or all of the air conditioners or fan coil units are operated to circulate the cool/warm water before the operation of the absorption type cool/warm water unit is started regardless of the request of the load, energy is wasted in terms of the ventilation activating power and cool/warm water circulating power.